MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 28 December 1923, Page 1

MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS.

AUSTRALIAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIA7ION. CTIR[STALLS FESTIVITIES. LONDON, Dec. 2.3. , Christmas Day was extraordinarily quiet. All omnibuses and trams were withdrawn from tiie streets at 4 p.m., but the taxi-cab drivers, who reaped a large harvest saved the streets from appearing strangely desolate. The churches were crowded during the morning, and there were a few football matches which attracted their usual excited crowds. The theatres, however, wore closed.

The weather was strangely good, it having plea red up. A curious feature of London's Christmas season this year is the decline in pantomime. There are only two, '■.Jack and the Beanstalk,’ at the Lyceum, and "Dick Whittington” at the Palladium, hut neither are attracting the old-time hosts of children. Heal pantomime seems over and children’s plays have taken its place. CAY PARKK. PARIS, Dee. 2d. Paris woke up this aftenoon after a notable Christinas Eve, which th cheap Krench paper franc made the gayest probably since the Armistice. Revellers, who included some of the most illustrious names on the social record, simply monopolised the more expensive restaurants and paid extraordinary prices for food, drink and entertainment. It is estimated that the minimum charge for a party of three amounted to CIOO and that the city consumed 2(10,000 quarts of champagne during the evening. NEW YORK CITY. NEW YORK, Dec. 25. The “New York Times,” in its news columns, states that Christmas, 1923. will long he remembered as one of bounteous plenty in New York lily. The wide extent of happiness enioye l by men, women ami children of all sorts and conditions has probabiy never been attained in previous seasons. The city was aflame with Christmas timer. It permeated the darkest tenement on the lower East Side, as well as the pretentious homes of the wealthy. It illuminated the diearv hospital wards and brightened die dark prison cells. Tt was the Christmas of a period of prosperity. Christmas throughout Amorva, Irom al accounts, appears to have been on the same scale. AT THE VATICAN. ROME, Dec. 25. The Rope celebrated Christmas smcmnly at the Vatican, beginning with midnight .Mass, which was said by the Sacristan, Alonsignor Zampini. The I’ope received an immense number of letters and telegrams, many expressing thanks for his eiforts to bring peace and goodwill to the- world. INDIA AND K.UJL’IKK. DEl.il I. Dee. 25. >ir Tcj Ualmdur Sapru, Indian delegate to tile Imperial Conference, dv\ott.d the greater part ot his presi(lentiid address to tile Indian National Liberal Eedorntiou at Poona to an examination of the question of Indians overseas as discussed at the Imperial Conference. He paid a tribute to Messrs W. .Mackenzie King, W. E. Mas.-ey and S. M. Bruce, and quoted die latter’s conference speech. He strongly criticised Ceneral Smuts. Summing up, Sir Tcj Sapru said that s () far the dominions and colonies, other than South Africa, had given a patient trial to the scheme adopted b,v tin- Imperial tonfcreiice and would do nothing tending to prejudice the negotiations with tlu* Colonial Ofliee regauling the Kenya dispute. Respecting Soulh Africa, lie urged strong action. The Indian Government must assert itself ant! impose a tariff against African coal. Touching mi internal allairs, ihc speaker demanded rapid Indianisation of the army, and urged the suspension of British recruitment for the Public Service, as the existing incumbenls would continue to retain their offices for the next twenty-live years. Ho pressed for a lv-oxamination of reforms with a view to further advance. FRONTIER OUTRAGES. DELHI, Dec. 25. Troops entered the village of Manilate in the Sangukhel emin.ry. Afghanistan, in connection with dm operations against the perpetrators of the Koliat and Uandikotal murder.: Afridi tribesmen are co-operating to prevent the escape of the murderers to Tirnli.

STRANGE union*. LONDON, Do:-- 25. It is rumoured that tho Pope "ill shortly visit Britain. Ecclesiastics do not reganl tho rumour seriously. Although tho Dope is quite at liberty to leave Italy, there is no reason to believe that lie dcsiros to visit this country. SLEEPING SICKNESS CEDE. LONDON. Doe. 26. The London Hospital for tropical diseases claims several complete cures of sleeping sickness by injecting a drill; known as Bayer 20. i. which is produced at the Bayer Chemical Works, near Cologne. I ho lirst "as successfully u-ed on 18U natives in Central Africa. THE CANTON SITUATION. BENIN. Dec. 20. Referring to the Canton situation the Pekin correspondent ol the 1 iontsin Times asks who governs Hong Kong—whether it is His Majesty's representative or Dr Sun A at Sen. It is nauseating to all self-respecting Britishers to see the way the Hong Long Government feted and fused over Dr Sun Yat Sen when the latter was proceeding to Canton a few months ago. This is a reversal of its previous attitude. and this encouraged Dr Sun Yat Sen to make preposterous demands from Hoit" Kong. Tho paper comments severely on the Governor’s action when the Powers unanimously decided to act for the protection of the integrity of the Customs in receiving and conferring with Sun Yat Sen's emissary. Hong Kong must elect between subservience to any political charlatan who happens temporarily to be in power at Canton, or an attitude of complete aloofness from Kwaugtsung’s rpiarels. The hatter is the only course consistent with the British course and consistent with British self respect. The paper does not

think the American and British labourites will be misled by Sun Vat .Sen’s gross misrepresentatives of the actual issue, which is whether the customs revenues which remained intact throughout the years’ of Chinese chaos will he preserved from local interference or become the spoils of quarrelsome and self-seeking militarists and politicians in all parts ol the country. NAVAL SUICIDE. LONDON, Dec. 2<>. At an inquest on Engineer Commander Frederick Robertson, a verdict- was returned of suicide while insane. Robertson was commander of the new giant submarine, No 11. He returned to Chatham after a 38 hours’ secret Channel trial. The steward took whiskey to bis cabin. Next morning be was found in his pyjamas dead, lying on a hearth rug. face covered with blood, and a safety razor blade lying on the floor. Commodore Fullerton. Commander at Chatham gave evidence that the Admiralty’s orders had placed Commander Roberlson under arrest aboard j the submarine to await a court mar- j tial on a disciplinary matter. i .Judge Stranger, his father-in-law. said Robertson was of the highest character. He had written a I took which had gained the Admiralty’s thanks.

A LONDON BRAWL. LONDON, Dec. 25. There was pandemonium at Tloxton Baths, through the referee awarding a fight to Deseanip’s protege. Sullivan, against Bob Jackson, a youngster from Tilbury. Such a riot lias not been seen in London for years. There was an infuriated crowd, who viciously attacked the promoter, beating him unmercifully with a. long pole. It was difficult to believe that the hall contained Britishers, For ten minutes there was every prospect- of most serious happenings until a strong force of police rushed in, and restored order. The trouble began when the supporters of Jackson knocked the referee headlong out of his chair. Several boxers at the ringside entered the melee. This was the signal for general commotion. The fisticuffs, however, were of small importance compared with the fighting with the logs of chairs. The critics, on the other hand, were amazingly divided as to the referee s decision. PLOT IN SPAIN. MADRID, Dee. 25. The Spanish Government, in a communique, announces the discovery of a Communist plot, with ramifications in the Spanish provinces and Portugal. The plotters received funds from Russia. The Communists met under the guise ot sporting associations. The Government i.-, arresting the leaders. BOER- ARRESTED. CAPETOWN, December 20. Mr-ritz. tlie Beer Rebel Commander, who has been, living for some time in Lorenzo Marques, lias decided to enter tlic Union. Interviewed, lie said that it not tureiTed i n the border. In- would proceed i-i Pretoria, ami place himself at the disposal of the authorities. ]r is believed that his decision has been inlliicmod by straitened circumstances. CAPETOWN, December 20. Maiitz was arrested as he crossed tla border at Kornatipoor. BANK DEFRAUDED. .MELBOURNE, Dec. 27. By means of forged correspondence wherein be used the bank s private code, a man defrauded the head office of the English, Scottish and Australian Bank of £2.500. No arrest has been made.